Beg Buttons Removed at Young and James

Good news! The pedestrian "beg buttons" have been removed at the intersection of James Street South and Young street.
Before:

South side of Young Street at James showing beg buttons (Image Credit: Google Street View)

And after:

Southeast corner of Young and James - No more beg button!

A beg button is a button that pedestrians must press in order to get a walk signal at a crosswalk. For pedestrian-activated signalized crosswalks, beg buttons make sense. But for fully signalized intersections that cycle through alternating red and green traffic signals, it makes no sense for a pedestrian to have to press a button to be allowed to cross with the green traffic signal.

Many cities have implemented policies to remove beg buttons. One example is Edmonton. Let us sincerely hope that removing the beg buttons at James and Young is a harbinger that Hamilton is following this good example.

With files from Ryan McGreal.

Kevin is a professional accountant and a retired infantry officer with the Canadian Forces. Kevin keeps encountering people who were students of his father, Dr. Robert Love, who was a professor at MacMaster University from 1977-2008. He lives near Durand Park in Hamilton and is currently Vice-Chair of the Hamilton Cycling Committee.

By KevinLove (registered) | Posted July 19, 2017 at 21:51:12
in reply to Comment 121742

Hmmm... I wonder if Hamilton is implementing a policy, such as in Edmonton (see link in article), to remove beg buttons. But is not announcing that policy. There is nothing about it on the City's walking and pedestrians webpage.

I believe the Aberdeen/Dundurn signals were changed as part of the "interim traffic calming measures" Council approved after Ward 1 Councillor Aidan Johnson's Lean Aberdeen motion was deferred to the Transportation Master Plan Review process.

Very inconvenient and inconsiderate, especially when walking children home from school. If you don't get to the intersection in time to push the button before a car activates the signal you have to wait an entire light cycle to cross. It is also confusing for children who see a green light, but a "don't walk" pedestrian signal. Of course, the activation is automatic for cars! I hope they remove this one as well.